Football clubs and organisations across the United Kingdom are to boycott social media platforms for four days from the end of the month in protest against abuse and discrimination.
The boycotters include the Premier League, English Football League and Women’s Super League. The protest will also involve other organisations, including the anti-discrimination charity, Kick it Out, according to the BBC.
‘This boycott signifies our collective anger,’ Kick it Out’s chairman Sanjay Bhandari was quoted as saying.
‘Social media is now sadly a regular vessel for toxic abuse. By removing ourselves from the platforms, we are making a symbolic gesture to those with power. We need you to act. We need you to create change. We need social media companies to make their platforms a hostile environment for trolls rather than for the football family.’
Sheffield United’s David McGoldrick, who was racially abused last year, welcomed the move, saying: ‘It is about time. What has gone off on social media, it has happened to me. It has happened to many players. Something needs to happen, it is too easily to get racially abused on there.’
The BBC reports that the Football Supporters’ Association, League Managers’ Association, Women in Football, Women’s Championship and its clubs as well as refereeing body Professional Game Match Officials Limited have also committed to the boycott of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The move comes just weeks after Swansea City turned off their social media accounts for a week to make a stand against abuse following a number of their players being targeted.
[Image: Thomas Ulrich from Pixabay]